Jewelry incorporating visual images

ABSTRACT

A method of producing jewelry based on photographic images, and jewelry produced thereby. A photographic image may be formed on a transparency and coated with polyurethane for example. Two holes may be formed in the transparency. A connector may be attached at one hole and a pendant device attached at the other hole. The jewelry may be provided in corresponding pairs, such as a pair of earrings. The photographic images may be provided in mirror image relation.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to jewelry, and more particularly to jewelry which incorporates miniaturized visual images therein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Jewelry has long been utilized to adorn the human body. Traditionally, jewelry has utilized precious metals such as gold, silver, platinum, and the like, and precious and semi-precious stones. Less expensive jewelry, such as that popularly known as costume jewelry, has utilized lower cost substitutes for precious metals and precious and semi-precious stones.

Jewelry may take a form wherein a craftsman meticulously reproduces in miniature natural objects, such as flowers and birds or other animals, or arbitrary designs. This can be quite painstaking work. Also, images such as of people have been incorporated into jewelry. Hand carved cameos and hand paintings are exemplary.

Photography has been utilized to capture images of many designs, views, objects, and other subject matter which may be desirable to incorporate into jewelry. This can be done by traditional methods, which of course adds considerably to the cost of manufacture, and which may not capture the precise appearance of the captured image.

There exists a need in the field of jewelry to incorporate high fidelity images such as the products of photography.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an effective method of incorporating high fidelity images such as photographic images into jewelry. An image taken at the usual scale in ordinary photography is reproduced in miniature, made into a form which is suitably durable for use as jewelry, and incorporated into metallic components of jewelry. For jewelry usually provided in pairs of individual art works, two images are processed according to the present invention.

The present invention provides a way of producing jewelry of potentially remarkable elegance at surprisingly low cost and difficulty.

It is an object of the invention to provide a method of incorporating photographic type images into artwork.

It is another object of the invention to produce jewelry of elegance at low cost.

It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof by apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable, and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.

These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various objects, features, and attendant advantages of the present invention will become more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a photographic image as it appears on the original film.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same photographic image reduced in scale on a substrate for incorporation into jewelry, according to the invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of two similar but mirror image substrates, illustrating a further step in the process of preparing articles of jewelry.

FIG. 4 is a side cross section of one of the mirror image substrates of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of two completed corresponding articles of jewelry.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a photographic type image as it appears at conventional scale on a conventional photographic substrate, such as a commercial thirty-five millimeter film or negative 10 for example. The photographic image depicted in FIG. 1 will be the basis for a principal artistic device of an article of pendant jewelry, to be described hereinafter.

The negative 10 may be utilized according to the following method of producing pendant jewelry. As seen in FIG. 2, the same photographic image is provided at reduced scale on a first substrate 12. Borders and other undesired features present in the negative or other photographic image, which may not be part of the image itself, may be cropped or eliminated from the final substrate 12 in an optional step. Of course, if desired, a border of desired characteristics may be added to the substrate 12. The first substrate 12 may be that of a conventional transparency, as is known in the photographic arts; for example.

Turning to FIG. 3, a first substrate 12 and a second substrate 14 are provided. The second substrate 14 may be similar to the first substrate 12, but with the subject matter arranged in mirror image. A first hole 16 may be formed at the top and a second hole 18 may be formed at the bottom of the first substrate 12. It should be noted at this point that orientational terms such as left and right refer to the subject drawing as viewed by an observer. The drawing figures depict their subject matter in orientations of normal use, which could obviously change with changes in body posture and position. Therefore, orientational terms must be understood to provide semantic basis for purposes of description, and do not limit the invention or its component parts in any particular way.

As shown in the side view of FIG. 4, the substrate 12 may be provided with a coating, such as a coating of polyurethane 20. The coating may be selected to protect the substrate 12 from aging, curling, fading, and other deleterious influences, and also to impart sufficient weight as to cause the substrate to be pendant when supported from a connector, to be described hereinafter.

It is contemplated that the present invention is particularly appropriate for producing pairs of generally similar articles of jewelry, for example, earrings 20 and 26, as seen in FIG. 5. Where provided as pairs generally similar articles of jewelry, such as the earrings 20, 26 shown in FIG. 5, each one of the earrings 20, 26 or other generally similar articles of jewelry which may be based on the substrate 12 and the substrate 14, may comprise a conventional earring connector and a pendant device which is essentially a duplicate of the other pendant device. Also, the first photographic image displayed on the first substrate 12 and the second photographic image displayed on the substrate 14 may be taken from the same original image, but rendered as mirror images of one another.

Each earring such as the earring 20 may be completed by connecting an attachment device such as a hook 22 to the first substrate 12 at the first hole, and connecting a pendant device 24, which is preferably esthetic in nature, at the second hole 18. Of course, any known type of connector such as a pinching clamp (not shown) may be provided in place of the hook 22. The remaining earring 26 may be essentially similar in structure and method of fabrication, comprising a second earring connector such as a hook 28 and a second pendant device 30, mounted in a manner similar to that of the earring 20.

The invention may be thought of either as an article of jewelry, such as the earring 20, as a pair or set of related articles of jewelry, such as the earrings 20 and 26, or as a method of fabricating any of these. The method may comprise the steps set forth above. The novel jewelry and method may apply not only to earrings, but also to pendants, bracelets, and anklets. Further, the novel apparatus and method may be applied to decorative items provided for adornment of objects other than the human body. For example, ornaments made according to the novel method may be utilized with lamps, chandeliers, Christmas trees, and other objects desired to be adorned.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the present invention is not to be limited to the disclosed arrangements, but is intended to cover various arrangements which are included within the spirit and scope of the broadest possible interpretation of the appended claims so as to encompass all modifications and equivalent arrangements which are possible 

1. A method of producing pendant jewelry, wherein at least one principal artistic device is based on a photographic type image, comprising the steps of: providing a photographic image taken at conventional scale on a conventional photographic substrate; providing the same photographic image at reduced scale on a first substrate; providing a coating on the first substrate; forming a first hole at the top of the first substrate and a second hole at the bottom of the first substrate; connecting an attachment device to the first substrate at the first hole; and connecting a pendant device at the second hole.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate of the photographic image comprises a transparency.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the coating comprises polyurethane.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the attachment device comprises a conventional earring connector.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the conventional earring connector comprises a hook.
 6. The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of coating the substrate of the photographic image with a coating.
 7. The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of cropping the photographic image to eliminate borders which are not part of the image.
 8. The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of providing a second photographic image at reduced scale on a second substrate; forming a first hole at the top of the second substrate and a second hole at the bottom of the second substrate; connecting an attachment device to the second substrate at the first hole; and connecting a second pendant device at the second hole, wherein the photographic images of the first substrate and the second substrate are taken from the same original image.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the photographic images of the first substrate are mirror images of one another.
 10. An article of jewelry fabricated by the method of claim
 1. 11. A pair of generally similar articles of jewelry fabricated by the method of claim
 8. 12. The pair of generally similar articles of jewelry of claim 11, wherein each one of the generally similar articles of jewelry comprises a earring having a conventional earring connector and a pendant device which is essentially a duplicate of the other pendant device, and wherein the first photographic image and the second photographic image are mirror images of one another. 